Radiating direction control unit of lighting device for vehicle use

• US 6,302,553 B1
• Filed: 07/26/1999
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Izawa, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ton, Anabel
• Application Number:
  US09/360,637
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 362/464, 362/465, 362/466, 362/467, 362/271, 362/272, 362/275, 362/476, 362/469, 362/37, 362/39, 362/40
• US Class Current: 362/37
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/115 by electric means details of the electric drive components, e.g. motors, shafts, ball joints B60Q1/076
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/18 being additional front lights bracket mounted headlights B60Q1/0483
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/114 Vehicle acceleration or deceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/116 Vehicle at a stop
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/132 Pitch
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/134 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/136 Roll

Abstract

A radiating direction control unit 1 of a lighting device for a vehicle for controlling a radiating direction of the lighting device 6 in accordance with the pitch angle of the vehicle. The radiation direction control unit includes an axle level detector 2 which detects a change in the level of a front or a rear axle of the vehicle, and a vehicle inclination detector 3 for detecting an inclination of the vehicle in the transverse direction. A pitch angle of the vehicle is determined based on respective signals emitted by the axle level detector and the vehicle inclination detector. A radiation direction controller corrects a radiating direction of the lighting device only when a change in the inclination of the vehicle in the transverse direction is not detected by the inclined attitude detection means 3. Accordingly, the radiating direction of the lighting device 6 is not changed due to a change in the vehicle attitude which does not affect the pitch angle of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A radiating direction control unit of a lighting device for vehicle use comprising:

level detection means for detecting a change in a level of a vehicle axle section of one of a front and a rear wheel of a vehicle and for emitting a signal corresponding to the detected level change of the vehicle axle,

inclined attitude detection means for detecting an inclination of the vehicle in a direction transverse to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and for emitting a signal corresponding to the detected inclination of the vehicle; and

control means for determining a pitch angle of the vehicle based on the signal corresponding to the detected level change of the vehicle axle section and for correcting a radiating direction of the lighting device in accordance with the determined pitch angle and the detected inclination of the vehicle;

wherein the control means corrects the radiating direction of the lighting device in accordance with the determined pitch angle only when a change in the inclination of the vehicle in the transverse direction is not detected by the inclined attitude detection means.

2. The radiating direction control unit of a lighting device for vehicle use according to claim 1, wherein the inclined attitude detection means detects whether or not the vehicle is turning, and

when the vehicle is turning, the control means stops controlling the radiating direction of the lighting device.

3. The radiating direction control unit of a lighting device for vehicle use according to claim 1, wherein the inclined attitude detection means detects whether or not the vehicle is turning, and

when the vehicle is turning, the pitch angle of the vehicle is based on an average of vehicle level detecting signals obtained before turning of the vehicle is detected, and

wherein the radiating direction of the lighting device is corrected according to the pitch angle.

4. The radiating direction control unit of a lighting device for vehicle use according to claim 1, wherein the inclined attitude detection means detects whether or not the vehicle is turning, and

when the vehicle is turning, the radiating direction of the lighting device is corrected in accordance with an adjusted pitch angle equal to the pitch angle adjusted so as to cancel out a contributory component of the pitch angle representing the change in the level of the vehicle axle due to the turning of the vehicle.

5. The radiating direction control unit of a lighting device for vehicle use according to claim 2, wherein the inclined attitude detection means detects respective speeds of a right and a left wheel of the vehicle.

6. The radiating direction control unit of a lighting device for vehicle use according to claim 2, wherein the inclined attitude detection means detects a steering angle of the vehicle.

7. The radiating direction control unit of a lighting device for vehicle use according to claim 2, wherein the inclined attitude detection means detects an acceleration of the vehicle in the transverse direction.

8. The radiating direction control unit of a lighting device for vehicle use according to claim 2, wherein the inclined attitude detection means detects a change in one of a rolling angle and a yawing angle of the vehicle.

9. The radiating direction control unit of a lighting device for vehicle use according to claim 3, wherein the inclined attitude detection means detects respective speeds of a right and a left wheel of the vehicle.

10. The radiating direction control unit of a lighting device for vehicle use according to claim 3, wherein the inclined attitude detection means detects a steering angle of the vehicle.

11. The radiating direction control unit of a lighting device for vehicle use according to claim 3, wherein the inclined attitude detection means detects an acceleration of the vehicle in the transverse direction.

12. The radiating direction control unit of a lighting device for vehicle use according to claim 3, wherein the inclined attitude detection means detects a change in one of a rolling angle and a yawing angle of the vehicle.

13. The radiating direction control unit of a lighting device for vehicle use according to claim 4, wherein the inclined attitude detection means detects respective speeds of a right and a left wheel of the vehicle.

14. The radiating direction control unit of a lighting device for vehicle use according to claim 4, wherein the inclined attitude detection means detects a steering angle of the vehicle.

15. The radiating direction control unit of a lighting device for vehicle use according to claim 4, wherein the inclined attitude detection means detects an acceleration of the vehicle in the transverse direction.

16. The radiating direction control unit of a lighting device for vehicle use according to claim 4, wherein the inclined attitude detection means detects respective speeds of a right and a left wheel of the vehicle.

17. A radiating direction control unit of a lighting device for vehicle use comprising:

an axle level detector which detects a change in a level of a vehicle axle section of one of a front and a rear wheel of a vehicle and which emits a signal corresponding to the detected level change of the vehicle axle,

a vehicle inclination detector which detects an inclination attitude of the vehicle in a direction transverse to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and which emits a signal corresponding to the detected inclination of the vehicle; and

a controller which determines a pitch angle of the vehicle based on the signal corresponding to the detected level change of the vehicle axle section and corrects a radiating direction of the lighting device in accordance with the determined pitch angle and the detected inclination attitude of the vehicle;

wherein the control means corrects the radiating direction of the lighting device in accordance with the determined pitch angle only when a change in the inclination of the vehicle in the transverse direction is not detected by the inclined attitude detection means.

18. A method of controlling a radiating direction of a lighting device for a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

determining a change in a level of a vehicle axle section of one of a front and a rear wheel of a vehicle and emitting a signal corresponding to the detected level change of the vehicle axle,

detecting an inclination attitude of the vehicle in a direction transverse to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and emitting a signal corresponding to the detected inclination of the vehicle,

determining a pitch angle of the vehicle based on the signal corresponding to the detected level change of the vehicle axle section, and

correcting a radiating direction of the lighting device in accordance with the determined pitch angle and the detected inclination attitude of the vehicle.

19. The method of controlling a radiating direction of a lighting device for a vehicle in accordance with claim 18, further comprising the step of correcting the radiating direction of the lighting device in accordance with an adjusted pitch angle equal to the pitch angle adjusted so as to cancel out a contributory component of the pitch angle representing the change in the level of the vehicle axle due to a turning of the vehicle.

20. A radiating direction control unit of a lighting device for vehicle use comprising:

a level detector that detects a change in a level of a vehicle section and that emits a signal corresponding to the detected level change of the vehicle section,

a vehicle inclination detector that detects an inclination attitude of the vehicle in a direction transverse to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and that emits a signal corresponding to the detected inclination of the vehicle; and

a controller that determines a pitch angle of the vehicle based on the signal corresponding to the detected level change of the vehicle section and corrects a radiating direction of the lighting device in accordance with the determined pitch angle and the detected inclination attitude of the vehicle.